The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) has published an update to its Evolution to LTE report which confirms almost 200 operators are now investing in LTE.
The report confirms 140 firm operator commitments to deploy commercial LTE systems in 56 countries. The number of committed operators is 118% higher than one year ago. A further 56 pre-commitment trials have been identified. Taken together, the report confirms 196 operators in 75 countries are currently investing in LTE. The report covers both LTE FDD and LTE TDD modes.
Seventeen operators have commercially launched LTE networks, in Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Norway, Poland, Sweden, USA, and Uzbekistan.
GSA says it has raised its market outlook and now anticipates that at least 73 LTE networks will be in commercial service by end 2012.
The regional breakdown of 140 firm operator commitments to deploy is as follows:
* Americas = 29 networks
* Europe = 64 networks
* MEA = 14 networks
* APAC/Oceania = 33 networks
The ecosystem of user devices is quickly building. In a related report published by GSA earlier this month, (Status of the LTE Ecosystem – March 16, 2011), a total of 98 LTE-capable user devices were confirmed launched in the market by 35 suppliers.
Alan Hadden, President of the GSA, said, “LTE is the fastest developing mobile communications system technology ever and continues to make excellent progress. Investments in LTE are now extending beyond traditional public communications carriers as we saw with the FCC mandating of LTE for first responders, which underlines the progress towards a single mobile technology with LTE.”
The Evolution to LTE report covers regulatory developments (including spectrum), operator commitments and network deployments, launches, trials worldwide, related industry initiatives and user devices
A number of auctions of new spectrum for LTE – including 2.6 GHz and in the digital dividend bands (700, 800 MHz), are scheduled in the coming months in various countries across the world, says GSA. It also says access to new spectrum is essential and welcomed, however these procedures take time.
There is a growing momentum for re-using (re-farming) current cellular bands to allow the option of introducing more efficient technologies including LTE. The 1800 MHz band, which was originally allocated for GSM, is widely available across much of the world and has emerged as a key candidate for LTE deployments, with improved coverage being a key driver – twice the coverage area can be achieved using 1800 MHz compared to 2.6 GHz, says GSA. Shorter time to market is another key benefit. Recent announcements by leading operators committing to LTE1800 deployments will help to establish 1800 MHz as a core band for LTE.